This piece from the Economist mentions Brazil’s struggles in preparing its transportation infrastructure ahead of their hosting the Soccer World Cup in 2014. From the article:
It is becoming clear that promised improvements to the country’s creaking transport systems are unlikely to amount to much. Of 49 planned urban-transport schemes in the host cities, work has started on just nine. Airport upgrades are running behind schedule too, and more than half are just temporary fixes. … Miriam Belchior, the planning minister, suggested that the government would declare holidays on match days to avoid traffic jams.
This doesn’t sound good! South Africa just barely got its transport system in the Johannesburg region upgraded in time for the games.